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sam Offline OP
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I learned of this recently and I believe it warrants posting on this forum. For what it is worth-

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/10/nj_cleric_sold_videos_showing.html

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Why do you believe this sordid, tragic tale warrranted posting on this forum?
What good did you hope would come from posting it?

I can tell ya what it's worth: NOTHING. I could re-phrase that in more colorful & more graphic terminology but I bet I don't have to.

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Let's simply use this way to pray for all involved.

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The scary part is this in reference to the other guy:

"Now a teacher in Newark, Capparelli also ran a website that sold videos of young men wrestling in Speedos."

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Church Pays $200K To Settle Molest ...ld Videos Of Speedo-Clad Young Wrestlers [thesmokinggun.com]

Davidowich was protected by the bishops (Pataki and Skurla) until the day the lawsuit was filed. After the scandal broke the first time he went on a leave of absence until publicity died down and then he was given a different parish. You would think after all the child abuse scandals the bishops would actually start kicking out the priests who went after teenage boys. But, no, it's business as usual. A priest can have a boyfriend/girlfriend and the bishops are unconcerned.

And it's not as if people didn't complain! They complained about Davidowich in large numbers just as they continue to complain about others (though he is the only one I think that went after teenage boys and made semi-porn gay videos). Anyone who complains to Bishop Skurla gets no response and walks away feeling that they are a religious fanatic for expecting their priests to actually live their vow of celibacy.

And this is not just us. The Roman Catholics are just as bad. Nothing has changed. Penn State fired everyone who looked the other way. The bishops did not fire themselves but simply blame the people who complain.

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I remember getting anguished e-mails from people about this. "We have written to the bishop, and he doesn't respond. We call the chancery, and they won't talk to us".

And Jason is right, those who complain are either made to feel that they are the problem, or subjected to emotional blackmail: "I could get rid of Father X, but I have no one to replace him, so I'll have to close your parish".

Apparently something similar to this is now happening in another Passaic parish (though the sexual misconduct involves an adult woman--several, actually!). The presbyter assigned to investigate has not lent a sympathetic ear to those filing the complaints.

Tames rule!

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sam Offline OP
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Jason,
What is most disturbing to me is the timeline. This young man was molested almost a decade before Fr Davidovich created his semi-porn wrestling business JPWA. A decade. This was happening before his ordination to the priesthood!
How many potential victims could still be out there?
I don't for the life of me understand why the bishops protect GMD so fiercly. Unbelievable!

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GMD was a sycophant who never contradicted and always browned to the best of his ability. In contrast, I am sure we could name some very good, indeed, excellent priests who were actively persecuted by certain bishops because they would not toe the line and were not afraid to be bringers of bad news.

Lacking moral courage themselves, tames fear and loathe it in others.

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Why do you believe this sordid, tragic tale warrranted posting on this forum?
What good did you hope would come from posting it?

If it had stopped, if our own bishops had done their jobs, then we could rest easy. But it's still happening, in our own house, and the same mistaken path is being taken once again. Pretending the elephant is not in the living room does not make him go away.

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It is surprising that with the supposed new Catholic approach the eparchy settled quietly. Why not have him charged and go through the legal process? Especially since he claims he is again innocent. By settling the eparchy certainly does not show its strength and resolve to end clergy abuse. I agree that in spite of what the website may tout, it is business as usual in Passaic. The elephant in the living room stands tall.

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Originally Posted by Jason D
And this is not just us. The Roman Catholics are just as bad. Nothing has changed. Penn State fired everyone who looked the other way. The bishops did not fire themselves but simply blame the people who complain.

FACT CHECK: Penn State fired only Joe Paterno who was NOT charged with a violation. The two administrators who are charged with perjury are still employed (on administrative leave) and their legal bills are being paid by the University.

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Disgusted.

Completely disgusted.

While these people are allowed to be ordained and celebrate the sacraments, the same bishops give us the run-around when we want married clergy because of theoretical financial burden.

How much financial burden has this group of chronic non-celibate vow-breakers cost us? We could have paid the salaries (with a living wage, in fact) of thousands of good men who were not even given a review for simply not just lusting after a woman, but actually committing to her in the presence of God.

Meanwhile, they ordain single deviants and allow chronic abusers to continue while paying out millions.

p.s. Did you hear the one about the guy with thousands of images of child porn - he was the guy in charge of abuse investigation... Fox, Hen-house.

No wonder secularists and atheists point and laugh when we go on about catechism and liturgy.

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How can our Bishops preach a Gospel of Life when they let things like this happen and continue to happen?? No one in the Chancery thought his side business was just a bit suspect.....

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There you go, Mr. McNabb, being hostile, unhelpful and disloyal once again. Our bishops know what is best. They tell us so, all the time. I'm sure our new Metropolitan, whoever he might be, will put all things to right.

(I had to type all that, because every time I tried to say it out loud, my tongue got stuck in my cheek).

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It did strike me as being just a tad naive, or just overwhelmingly cynical, to receive the Eparchial Appeal envelope at the same time the Eparchy was shelling out one hundred kilobucks to cover up another sexual abuse scandal. They must think we're really stupid, or have the short-term attention span of a goldfish.

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